A Comparison of Respiratory Systems in Sea Lions, Cobras, and Bald Eagles

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The respiratory system is the system for taking in oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide in organisms. The respiratory systems of California sea lions, king cobras, and bald eagles have a few similarities and differences, but they all allow the intake of oxygen for each organism.
The California sea lion is a pinniped. A pinniped is a carnivorous aquatic mammal of the order Pinnipedia. Sea lions, like all other pinnipeds, have nostrils that they can voluntarily close while diving in the water. Inside the nose of a sea lion are bones called turbinate bones. When the sea lion inhales, these bones moisten and warm the air and stop inhaled particles from going into the trachea or the lungs. In the back of the sea lion’s nose, there are ethmoidal turbinate bones which give it its keen sense of smell. The nasal septum of a sea lion separates the nasal cavity into left and right halves.
Located deeper into the throat of the sea lion are its larynx and trachea. The larynx of the sea lion serves four important functions. It facilitates swallowing, facilitates breathing, prevents food from ge...

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